Earth ChangesS


Cloud Lightning

Stunning forked lightning envelops entire Oklahoma sky as US states battered by bizarre weather


RT
Thu, 30 Apr 2020 17:00 UTC
lightning
© Public domain/ Torsten Dettlaff/ file photo
A severe thunderstorm has served up an extraordinary sight in the skies above Oklahoma, with exceptional eyewitness footage showing lightning enveloping the entire countryside.

A barrage of thunderstorms blasted through Oklahoma bringing heavy hail, the threat of tornadoes and flooding, and even left extraordinary orange clouds in its wake.

The highlight of the wild weather was caught on camera by storm chaser Jake Heitman, who shared the amazing natural light show on Twitter.

The sky has a striking orange hue as the lightning rips through the atmosphere and unleashes ferocious peals of thunder.

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Camera

Rainbow meets lightning during Idaho storm


The Lewiston Tribune
Thu, 30 Apr 2020 17:00 UTC
Rainbow meets lightning
© Pete Caster/Lewiston Tribune
A bolt of lightning streaks toward the remaining vestiges of a rainbow over the Lewiston Orchards as a thunderstorm rolls through the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley on Wednesday evening.

The storm brought thunder, lightning and rain to the valley, and there's a chance more thunderstorms will come to the area this weekend.
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Cloud Precipitation

Heavy rains, hailstorm damage over 250,000 ha of crops in Haryana, India

Sampad Nandy
cogencis.com
Wed, 29 Apr 2020 12:40 UTC
Image for Representation
Image for Representation
Heavy showers, hailstorm, and lightning during the weekend have damaged major standing rabi crops, including wheat, spread over 250,000 ha in Haryana, a senior official with the state's farm department said.

"A basic report has shown that wheat, mustard, chana, and barley have been damaged. Most of these crops were ready to be harvested," the official said.

Of the total 2.49 mln ha under wheat in the 2019-20 (Jul-Jun) rabi season, standing crop on 200,000 ha has been affected due to untimely rains, he said, adding, at many places, crop lodging in wheat has also been reported.

In the state, around 55-60% of the total sown wheat has been harvested, according to the farm ministry.
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Attention

Czech Republic facing worst drought in 500 years


CNA
Wed, 29 Apr 2020 09:35 UTC
One of the 'hunger stones' revealed by the low level of water in the Elbe River is seen in Decin, Czech Republic, August 29, 2018.
© REUTERS/David W Cerny/File PhotoFILE PHOTO: One of the 'hunger stones' revealed by the low level of water in the Elbe River is seen in Decin, Czech Republic, August 29, 2018.
The Czech Republic is facing its worst drought in 500 years and some communities could see their supplies run dry, Environment Minister Richard Brabec said on Wednesday (Apr 29).

A map presented by the ministry showed that just 0.1 per cent of the Czech Republic had a normal level of water in the soil in mid-April while extreme drought was found in 75.4 per cent of the country.

Drought conditions have persisted since 2015, as temperatures rise and rainfall dwindles.

"We are facing an unprecedented drought period, both in its duration and its impact," Brabec said after scientists presented data showing the Czech Republic faced the worse drought in 500 years.

"Smaller rivers will dry out, there may be tens, perhaps hundreds of communities supplied by cisterns, because their sources may dry out," Brabec said.


Comment: Central European drought reveals ancient 'hunger stones' in Elbe River

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Cloud Precipitation

Death toll hits 116 after flooding and landslides in Kenya

Nancy Agutu
The Star (Kenya)
Wed, 29 Apr 2020 11:51 UTC
flood
Rainfall is expected to continue over most parts of the country until June.

Kenya has lost 116 lives to the ongoing floods, Devolution CS Eugene Wamalwa has said.

Addressing the media on Wednesday, Wamalwa said 29 counties have been affected and 100,000 households displaced.

Wamalwa said they have dispatched 40,000 bags of rice to over 24 counties affected by floods.

"... we want to urge the counties to comply with the guidelines put in place including moving to higher ground," he said.

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Snowflake Cold

Record cold in Alaska's northernmost town

Robert W. Felix
Ice Age Now
Thu, 30 Apr 2020 10:29 UTC
barrow
While most of the state is blossoming into spring, areas north of the Brooks Range have still been dealing with cold and blizzard conditions. Early Wednesday morning Utqiagvik saw the thermometer fall to minus 20F, beating the previous record of -19F set back in 1973. It is the first time in recorded history that Utqiagvik saw a low of minus 20 this late in the season.

Utqiagvik, northernmost town in the United States, is the largest city in Alaska's North Slope Borough and is located north of the Arctic Circle.

Probably not very much ice will be melting at 20 degrees below zero.

Thanks to Stephen Potter for this link.
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Snowflake

Return of the snow plows to Cape Breton, Nova Scotia as late April storm dumps nearly 10 inches of the white stuff


Cape Breton Post
Tue, 28 Apr 2020 20:38 UTC
Above, a Nova Scotia Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal plow clears a bridge, located at the top of Upper Prince Street in Sydney, that crosses Highway 125 just south of the Grand Lake Road intersection.
© David Jala/Cape Breton PostAbove, a Nova Scotia Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal plow clears a bridge, located at the top of Upper Prince Street in Sydney, that crosses Highway 125 just south of the Grand Lake Road intersection.
Just as Cape Breton residents began to believe that warmer and more pleasant weather was here to stay, Mother Nature sent yet another message that winter isn't over until it's over.

As much as 25 cm of heavy, wet snow fell across the municipality on Tuesday during a late-April storm that forced snow removal equipment back onto the streets, roads and highways.

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Arrow Down

Sinkhole opens up at Pantheon, Rome


ANSA
Tue, 28 Apr 2020 20:05 UTC
SINKHOLE
© ANSA
Cobblestones give way to open 2-metre-deep hole

A sinkhole opened up in front of Rome's iconic Pantheon on Tuesday.

The hole appeared after Travertine marble cobblestones called sanpietrini gave way.

The hole was said to be two metres deep.

Repairs have already started.
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Fish

Thousands of fish wash up on beach in Acapulco, Mexico


Sputnik
Sat, 25 Apr 2020 12:00 UTC
fish mass
© YoutubeScreenshot
Mother Nature is continuing to present us with "surprises" this year. While Africa suffers with enormous swarms of locusts, several incidents of mass fish stranding have occurred in various parts of the world, with the latest one happening in Mexico.

Thousands of fish have washed up alive on a beach in Acapulco, Mexico prompting crowds of local residents and fishermen to violate the coronavirus lockdown. People flocked to the beach in the south-western state of Guerrero with empty buckets to collect the fish, which according to local media reports belong to a species of mackerel. A similar incident was witnessed in Venezuela.

An official has denied rumours spread by locals that the incident was caused by the absence of people and fishermen due to the coronavirus lockdown. Sabas Arturo de la Rosa Camacho said that he believes the fish approached the shore while hunting for sardines.

Comment: See also: Thousands of seabirds wash up on north-east beaches of Scotland

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Cloud Precipitation

Flooding and landslides hit Central Division, Fiji after heavy rainfall


Floodlist
Wed, 29 Apr 2020 19:47 UTC
Floods in Central Division, Fiji, late April 2020.
© NDMOFloods in Central Division, Fiji, late April 2020.
Fiji's National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) has reported flooding and landslides in the country following heavy rain over the last 2 days.

The Fiji Meteorological Service said the heavy rain was brought by a slow-moving trough of low pressure. Flood warnings have been issued, in particular along rivers in Central Division. The rain has fallen in areas previously saturated by rainfall from Tropical Cyclone Harold, increasing the risk of landslides.

NDMO reported severe flooding in parts of Nausori in Central Division. Nausori recorded over 200mm of rain since 27 April.

Landslides and floods have blocked roads in areas around Navua and the capital, Suva. Fiji Roads Authority urged the public to refrain from crossing flooded roads, crossings and bridges.

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